Former Princetonian Installed on NJ Supreme Court

Former Princeton resident Anne Murray Patterson took her oath of office on Thursday as the newest justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court. 

Gov. Chris Christie, who has known Patterson for 20 years and nominated her to the state's highest court in 2010, said she was an obvious choice. 

"I don't think this is any great moment of wisdom for me," Christie said at Thursday's ceremony. I think its just me doing what I do best: recognizing the obvious," Christie said at Thursday's ceremony at the War Memorial in Trenton.

"The obvious is that Anne Patterson belongs on the NJ Supreme Court.  And with all due respect to all justices, she will make it better... by the pith of her ethic, of how she conducts herself, her intent, her hard work, her good humor and her absolute belief in our system of laws and justice..."

Patterson, 52, was born in Trenton and grew up on Stuart Road in Princeton. She attended Stuart Country Day of the Sacred Heart from preschool through 12th grade.  

Thursday's ceremony was a special event for Francesca Segalas, a friend and classmate of Patterson's at Stuart. 

"Anne is a remarkable human who's consistently shown genuine interest in others," Segalas said. "She is our class secretary, keeping up with friends she's made from forever. I'm lucky to count myself as one of her oldest friends... since kindergarten.  

"In her acceptance speech she attributed her loyalty and devotion to New Jersey to her late father with special thanks to her mother for always being there, as she was yesterday at 92, as ever elegant and full of pride."

According to the governor's office, Patterson graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from Dartmouth College.  She earned her law degree from Cornell Law School and was admitted to the New Jersey Bar in 1983.

Patterson is married to attorney James E. Patterson and they live in Morris County. 

She was a partner with the law firm Riker, Danzig, Scherer, Hyland & Perretti, LLP, of Morristown where she practiced primarily product liability and commercial litigation.  In 1989 and 1990, she served as a Deputy Attorney General and Special Assistant to then-state Attorney General Peter N. Perretti, Jr. 

Christie said on Thursday he was doing what he hoped all governors would do- appoint the most qualified candidate. 

"I got to do exactly that," Christie said. "I got to actually pick the best lawyer I knew to be on the Supreme Court!"